moore matters Spring 2020 moore.edu.au
Building for the Future
After the deluge pages 2-3
Why not theological education? pages 10-11
The joys and challenges of community under lockdown pages 12-13
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CONTENTS After the deluge ������������������������������������������������ 2-3 Building for the future ������������������������������� 4-5 Preparing for the future ������������������������������������������������������������������ 6-7
Around the world in many contexts ���������������������������������������������������������8-9
The joys and challenges of community under lockdown ��������12-13
Why not theological education? ������������������������������������������������������������ 10-11
Our lives are in God’s hands – Please Pray ������������������������������14-15 Events ������������������������������������������������������back cover
After the deluge Mark Thompson / Principal
2020 HAS SEEN US FACE ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED DISRUPTION AND DISLOCATION IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19.
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he world looks very different, just at the moment, from the way it looked even a year ago. What is more, we know that we are yet to feel the full weight of the consequences of what has happened and our response to it. The level of government intervention to enable us to survive from moment to moment has been huge, and there is already considerable anxiety about what will be left when that support is removed. What will the world look like in 2021 or 2022 when the pandemic is behind us? How will we survive the crippling debt we have incurred? What jobs will have gone forever? What will our churches look like? Will this new awareness of our vulnerability open a wide door for ministry or provide another reason for hardness of heart? One thing seems sure, we won’t just be carrying on from where we were before. Some things will have changed, perhaps forever. Change ought not to frighten us though, for two reasons. First and foremost, because we know what has not changed, and cannot change. We know that God’s declared and determination unchanging purpose is a God’s to rescue a people for sure anchor in the tumult himself has not changed of a changing world. and cannot change. Whatever happens around us, he is bringing all things forward towards that day when a multitude from every tribe, nation and language will be gathered around the throne, rejoicing in the salvation he has effected for them. God’s declared and unchanging purpose is a sure anchor in the tumult of a changing world. That is because God himself does not change and his character is constant.
Secondly, change ought not to frighten us because change is such a regular feature of the Christian life. The Christian life begins with change—a monumental, totally reorienting change. ‘God has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.’ (Col 1:13) Our life in that kingdom continues to be characterised by change. Most often we speak about that aspect as ‘repentance’: turning our back on aspects of our old life and turning towards God and the new life he offers us. ‘Putting off’ and ‘putting on’, as the apostle Paul calls it. Indeed, we welcome change, since we are being conformed to the image of God’s son (Rom 8:29) and are being transformed ‘from one degree of glory to another’ (2 Cor 3:18). So we can look to the future with confidence, even though we know it will involve change, and even if some of those changes are things we would not choose for ourselves. We know that God is good, he has not abandoned us, and his wonderful and generous purpose will prevail in the end. We know that change is something God uses to further that purpose in us, through us and for us.
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I am praying for the wide-open door: a new, wonderful season of evangelism on the other side of this pandemic. The greatest need of human beings remains the need to be saved from the judgment we deserve. The proclamation of the gospel remains the powerful way God saves people, because that gospel both announces what God has done in Christ and calls on us to entrust ourselves and our futures to him. That makes the need for a multitude of men and women, who will share that message with such a needy world, an urgent one. Indeed, on the other side of this pandemic (and before we get there) this need seems more urgent than ever. God is putting this need on the hearts of a new generation of godly and gifted men and women. I have spent the last few weeks in a series of interviews with some of them, as they explore the theological education and ministry training they will need for long-term ministry in a variety of settings. It is thrilling to hear how God has taken hold of their lives, to learn of those who have mentored them and influenced them towards a life of ministry, and be given a glimpse of their dreams of service in a Christian congregation, in a school or university setting, in the defence forces, in cross-cultural mission. It has been a wonderful reminder that whatever is going on around us, God has not given up on his strategy for bringing all things to their wonderful conclusion on the last day: raising up labourers to go into the harvest, taking the word of life to those who desperately need to hear it. They are invariably committed to evangelism, to training and mobilising God’s people for mission, to seeing
Christ honoured as Lord and Saviour in all the world. It is one of the best parts of my job as principal of this extraordinary college: the opportunity to hear these stories, share this vision, and pray with these willing participants in God’s eternal, unchanging plan of bringing all things under the feet of Christ. What will the future hold? Only God knows that. But what can we expect God will do? We can expect that in the midst of a changing world, even a world in the midst of massive disruption and dislocation (and it’s not just the virus, is it?), God will be at work saving men and women and raising up gospel workers so that even more might be saved. We at Moore want to play our part in that, and provide the best possible evangelical theological education. We want to prepare men and women to live for Jesus Christ, to proclaim him, to grow healthy churches and to reach the lost. This new generation of gospel workers want to be thoroughly prepared, because they know there will be real challenges in a world like ours, and because they know it is an enormous privilege to be a part of God’s unchanging mission. This is an exciting moment. Thank you for praying for us and supporting us in this vital work.
Dr Mark D Thompson, Principal
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Building for the future Trevor Cairney / Head of Foundation
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s I walked the corridors of John Chapman House (JCH) this week (in mid-August) it was difficult to see many students. Some were in classes, others were in the library, and we are still waiting for the return of our 2nd and 3rd year students, many of whom went home months ago due to Covid-19. As I wandered around the building looking at its current state, I had one recurring thought: it’s remarkable that JCH is and has been the site of rich community life for 72 years. Why? Because the design of the building isn’t well suited to community life. Few students were visible in the narrow corridors and limited shared spaces, which made it hard to see community life in action, but the artefacts of College life were certainly evident. Textbooks and notes left in a few small shared study spaces, fully loaded clothes drying racks within the narrow hallways, outdoor footwear in neat rows outside doors, the odd bicycle, community notes on doors, group photos from the past, posters, and dishes in sinks in
rather small shared kitchens. However, students at Moore speak much about the richness of community life that occurs in college housing, the library, study activities, classrooms, the College Chapel and in courtyards and outdoor spaces. But of course, while the evidence of community life was obvious, I wasn’t actually observing communities in action. In fact, it isn’t easy to do this, for community life is experienced from within. A community is a ‘connected’ group of people brought together by circumstances, common purpose, shared beliefs, motivations, practices, and a desire to share life together. Is community enabled and created by a building? Not really. Can community be made more difficult by a building? Yes. But if designed well, a building can facilitate and help to enrich community life and formation. Good design makes it easier for community members to see one another, interact with one another, and to find places to pray, study and just spend time together, sharing
life while tussling with God’s word together, praying, and encouraging one another. The College has been considering the redevelopment of JCH for some time. It is close to Cash Chapel and the historic 1898 building restored in 2019 as a residence for visiting scholars and visitors. Unlike these two buildings, JCH has little heritage value (as a structure). It has aging and inadequate bathrooms, limited common room space, a leaking roof and many safety and design limitations. Nevertheless, community life has been rich, and strong Christian communities of single students have been built here
Is community enabled and created by a building? Not really. Can community be made more difficult by a building? Yes. But if designed well, a building can facilitate and help to enrich community life and formation.
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for 72 years, in spite of the limitations of design, few common areas, narrow and dark corridors and so on. It has given good service in spite of structural flaws and its location on the noisy City and Carillon Road intersection. But after seventy-two years it is in need of replacement. Former students I’m sure will say, “but I had some of the best times of my life in that place”. In fact, as I wandered through the building recently, I couldn’t help but feel that if Chappo was inspecting it with me, he’d probably say, “this is still in reasonable nick, why are we replacing it!?” Others might also feel the same way; primarily for reasons of nostalgia. Former residents of JCH will regale you with stories of rich fellowship and time spent tussling with the Scriptures late into the night. They might also tell you about the fun and odd unmentionable stunt. However, we’ve now reached a point where the 1948 building must be replaced, for to repair it would be “throwing good money after bad” to use one of my father’s favourite expressions, and we’ve already done some of this. The urgent need for new accommodation has been accelerated due to the loss of Carillon House for the accommodation needs of single women. Many of our single women were forced into an assortment of accommodation options last year, including some back into JCH. Hence, a committee of the Governing Board has been working for over two years exploring options for the building’s replacement. The images associated with this article are of the structure that would sit adjacent to our new administration, teaching and library building opened in 2018. It would be a building for single male and female students, as well as some married couples, and accommodation for at least one Faculty family. Rather than community life existing in spite of the limitations of the building, the new JCH will offer a variety of facilities and spaces that assist the development of community life. It
will also have a more diverse community. Structurally, there would be many public spaces, study spaces on each floor, and a number of large community recreational spaces. In the next issue of Moore Matters we will feature the final design details as well as our planned Capital Campaign to seek financial support for this significant next phase in the redevelopment of the Newtown campus. I’d like to think that the man whose name was given to the building would feel at home in the proposed new building, as will future residents. This will be a building perfect for storytellers and scholars, as men and women tussle with the Bible as they learn and inspire one another to contemplate lifetimes of ministry. The new JCH will offer the perfect setting for the sharing of the Scriptures and life stories that bring glory and honour to our God within a Christ-centred community. This will be a building that facilitates important conversation, and a place to study the Bible and be prepared for the ministry our God has in store for each and every one of our future students. Mark Thompson wrote in
Campus development … has always been about facilitating and enhancing the College’s ministry of serving the advance of the Gospel of Christ in all the world. Moore Matters in 2015 (Winter) while referring to the building which now houses faculty, staff, the library and many wonderful teaching and meeting places, that campus development should never be about building “a bigger and better building for its own sake. It has always been about facilitating and enhancing the College’s ministry of serving the advance of the Gospel of Christ in all the world… a place where men and women can enjoy meeting together to help each other grow in their knowledge of God and in their ability to share that knowledge with others.” So too, the new JCH, which will certainly enhance community life and ministry. Please pray for the Governing Board as it considers final designs, and as the College plans for a new capital campaign to enable this critical next step in the development of our College.
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Preparing for the future Malcolm Richards / Director, Centre for Global Mission
MOORE COLLEGE CREATED THE CENTRE FOR GLOBAL MISSION (CGM) IN 2016 AS A VEHICLE TO RESOURCE AND SUPPORT THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION FOR GOSPEL WORKERS AROUND THE WORLD.
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ur team had set aside most of 2020 to focus on preparing for the future. While this decision was made B.C. (Before Covid), the appearance of the pandemic has confirmed that our plans are in the right direction and are well timed. In this brief article I will explain how we at CGM are preparing for the future, and the impact that Covid-19 has brought to the work.
PTC to the world—what is old and what is new The focus of CGM’s work has been the PTC—that is the content of the Moore College Preliminary Theological Certificate course. We offer partner churches and other Christian ministries around the world the use of our PTC courses for their own training purposes. This enables those who do not have the resources to create their own training materials to offer good quality courses and to give certificates or awards in their own name. We help them to deliver paper-based courses or online courses depending on their situation.
Paper-based or online; which is best? Covid has the answer! The team at CGM has worked hard over the last few years to provide our partners with a set of IT tools. These enable them to offer courses online, either on a computer via an Online Learning Environment
(Moodle), or on a smart phone via an app. This online capacity has been a tremendous advantage to some partners whose students have internet access. However, for many of our partners in the majority world, where neither internet nor smart phones are affordable or available, paper-based courses have been the preferred option. However, Covid-19 has started to encourage a change of thinking. Many of our partners have had to halt training due to bans on face-toface learning, and this has caused an increased interest in possible online alternatives. Partners who are already offering courses online have seen an increased demand during lockdown. Jane Mucheru, studying the PTC through African Enterprise Kenya sent this report: “The program has enabled me to observe the recommended measures in combating COVID-19, by providing an escape from groups and into personal study of the word. I must also recognize the smooth organization and operation of the lessons in such a way that builds on previously learnt lessons. I also appreciate the simple language used by the organizers. May I take this opportunity to thank AE Kenya and Moore Theological College for working together to see us equipped for the easier spread of [the] gospel.”
New IT infrastructure Planning is well under way to move all our existing online partners to a new IT platform by the end of 2020. Once all the existing partners have been migrated, some of our current paper-based partners who are requesting online capacity will be offered our new online platform too. There are also new partners who wish to start offering courses online, so our team will be kept very busy meeting all the needs. Third party providers have also developed and hosted our current IT Tools (on an online platform), which is based on open source software (Moodle). However, our own talented IT team has been working hard to create our own in-house solution. This is both technically superior and more financially sustainable for both CGM and CGM partners in the long term. While the planning for this new IT platform was begun well before Covid-19, the increased interest in online learning means that we are well prepared for the future.
PTC translation projects Covid-19 has had a significant positive impact on our PTC translation projects. While
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Photo: istockphoto.com
many around the world have found lockdown frustrating, our translation teams have had a lot more time to spend on CGM work. Translation output has increased! Significant progress has been made on our French, Malagasy and Russian translation work. Lynn, our administrator, has been working hard providing our keen translators with new work to do, as they finish one project and are ready for another. One frustration here is the Russian project, where the translation team is available and keen, but work has come to a halt due to a lack of funds. Please pray that funds would be available for these translation projects to continue. If you wish to give
towards our translation projects, please visit our website cgm.moore. edu.au/get-involved/giving/
New partners We have a number of possible new partnerships that have good potential to connect high numbers of people with the PTC. Please pray for discussions with at least two Anglican Bible colleges in West Africa. Pray too for ongoing negotiations with another likeminded worldwide church network (not Anglican!) that is interested in the PTC as a vehicle for training church workers in various places around the world.
Plans for the development of a ministry training resource for low literacy contexts
Photo: lightstock.com
CGM is also investigating the creation of a new ministry resource that we can offer alongside the PTC. We believe there is a need for a grassroots training course to equip people for effective word-based ministry in the majority world context, where both the ministry candidate and the community
There is a need for a grassroots training course to equip people for effective word-based ministry in the majority world context. where they will serve typically have underdeveloped literacy skills. Ministry candidates in such contexts are often literate in a formal sense, but do not routinely read to extract meaning from written texts. The proposed course will be designed to meet students where they are, in terms of skills development and in bringing them to a point where they can effectively understand and teach the Bible in normal ministry situations in their contexts. Please pray for our team as we continue with the development of this course.
For further information about the Centre for Global Mission, go to cgm.moore.edu.au
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Around the world in many contexts Michael Sadler / Alumni & Fundraising Officer
DURING THE PANDEMIC, MOORE COLLEGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE BEEN IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, WITH VARIOUS CHALLENGES AND ENCOURAGEMENTS.
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elow are some of their stories from this time. These stories offer a sample of the many different places God has brought Moore College community members from, and where He sends them to. I hope you find encouragement from them. Please pray for them and the whole global Moore College community at this time. Faraj Yusufov is a third-year student, who’s been living with his wife Emily and their young daughter at the ButHarGra College community located in Croydon Park. Faraj told me that one of the biggest challenges for him has been screen fatigue because every interaction with church, College, friends and family has been via a device. But there have been encouragements to persevere, especially from the Moore College community. “My prayer group has continued to meet weekly to support and pray for one another through this time. Chapel online has also helped provide some consistency during the massive changes; seeing college lecturers regularly speak into the current context in their sermons has helped keep the feeling of community.”
Jemma Fifield is a first-year
Victor Khor is a fourth-year student, who was living back home with family in Melbourne during the shutdown. Like Faraj, Victor struggled with all the screen time, leading to headaches and difficulties concentrating in class. Maintaining community with classmates and particularly with other John Chapman House (JCH) residents would ordinarily have been a joy, but it required effort and intentionality while at a distance. Thankfully, JCH residents did maintain connection while dispersed, and even had welcome guests like Gerald Bray (who usually visits in-person each year) join from Cambridge on Zoom. Victor shared how he gained strength from God. “Living through the upheaval due to the pandemic caused me to lean on passages like Isaiah chapters 7-12 and Job chapters 38-42, reminding me of how big and sovereign God is over history, nations and all of creation. God is in control and I can trust Him.” The Moore College community isn’t limited to just this city or nation.
online Diploma student living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and serving with an inter-denominational Christian school, Bingham Academy. Jemma told me that studying the scriptures at Moore College helped make sense of the world at a very difficult time: “As I was studying for the course and learning to see God’s plans worked out over thousands of years, COVID-19 struck. My encouragement came from knowing that the plans of God are not thwarted by things of this world— that his covenant is as true today in the time of Corona as it was for the Israelites during their slavery in Egypt or during the Exile in Babylon. Just because I don’t understand what’s happening right now, doesn’t mean that God’s promises have been
9 serve with CMS. Dan is currently a Moore College postgrad student while also lecturing at Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary. He has been encouraged by the Moore College community, although the shutdown is challenging for his ministry. “Teaching by distance is hard when many students can’t afford data (Zoom is not an option) and they prefer not to absorb information by reading but by oral communication. But mostly all we can do is offer readings! It gets the students down as they are so relationally wired. Their morale and their desire to learn has been low.” But he has found it helpful to be able to share experiences with his postgrad supervisor and to share and to pray with a small circle of men who he’s maintained relationship with from his time at College. Vic & Delle Roberts are Alumni Association members, with Vic having been ordained in 1959. They’re now retired from vocational ministry and live in Bowral, NSW.
They’re a great example of what Christlike love, service and prayerfulness looks like during this time. “For people like us who are very elderly (we are in our mid 80s) the physical isolation is a very serious matter. Loneliness (or more accurately ‘aloneness’) can have major psychological and emotional effects. Those in Aged Care Facilities, which have had to be ‘shut down’ and not allow any outside visitors, suffer greatly. As Christians, we need to be both aware and alert to ways we can keep in touch with them. Delle and I have made it a
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withdrawn or his people have been abandoned.” Recent protests in Ethiopia led the government to turn off the internet to make it more difficult for protestors to communicate. This made it difficult for Jemma to communicate with her family in England and to continue with her online studies. And yet, Jemma has “heard amazing stories of whole communities coming to saving faith since COVID began and so, in many ways, the Lord has provided opportunities from COVID that otherwise would’ve been unavailable.” She’s thankful for God’s providence. The Moore College community also extends to our Alumni. Kellie Nicholas is an alumna serving with CMS in university ministry in Kobe, Japan. She has seen prayers answered and encouragement given to sustain her and her ministry. “I have been able to attend seminars and conferences online, previously unavailable to me, and I even got to ‘go’ to church on Good Friday. My year has a group on Facebook that we use to keep each other up to date. I was encouraged that people were sharing resources, and tips. This helped me to pray for the situation in Australia.” There have also been anxieties about her ministry, with the pandemic shutdowns beginning as university students were starting the new academic year in Japan. But the Lord has been faithful in sustaining the work. “Praise God that we’ve been able to connect with many first years and they’ve actually stuck with us despite the challenges. Students have also attended online meetings who wouldn’t have been able to attend because of timing or cost.” Dan & Liv Webster are already alumni of Moore but are studying again. They live with their family in Windhoek, Namibia and
matter of top priority to keep in touch with people, especially the elderly, by email, text or phone.” However, Vic and Delle also receive encouragement from scripture. “Passages which deal with the assurance that we are in the Lord’s sovereign and loving hands, no matter what our circumstances may be, are of special significance. Like 2 Corinthians 9:8 ‘God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.’ We need to help others going through difficult times medically, financially and emotionally, to experience the prayerful and practical support of God’s family at this extraordinary time.” There are many members of the Moore College community around the world in many contexts. How wonderful to hear their stories and be able to pray for them! You can find more information on the Moore College Alumni Association at moore.edu.au/alumni. Please feel free to contact me on alumni@moore.edu.au or +61 (0)2 9577 9929.
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Why not theological education? Ben P George / Marketing and Communications Manager
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN COMPARATIVELY MANAGEABLE IN AUSTRALIA, BUT IT HAS BEEN MUCH MORE CHALLENGING IN SOME NATIONS.
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ecently, in a Zoom Bible study, I spoke to a woman in Bangaluru who told me of the stark reality in some other nations. In India, the majority have no ability to keep physical distance, no health care system to accommodate the potentially millions of active cases, and no financial capacity to provide a Jobkeeper-type benefit. And so, because people need an income to survive and take care of vulnerable family members, millions upon
millions of people leave for work in bustling cities every morning knowing that they risk catching a virus that would likely kill them. Most of us in Australia have choices we can make. Imagine being in a situation without the comfort of being able to choose the option offering a greater chance of safety! However, while we should thank God for the comforts we have been afforded in this wonderful country, we also need to take stock of what is most significant in our lives, and consider what can give us true certainty. For even in Australia, COVID-19 has stripped back our certainty in the things of the world. A stable income is not a guarantee, physical and mental health cannot be assumed, and the comforts we have grown accustomed to are not certain either. In fact, this season
has exposed the frailty of humanity despite scientific and technological advancement. The only thing that seems to have stayed strong and certain is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. For Christians, this season ought to have a counterintuitive effect, as we once again lift our hands in praise and adoration of a God who gives us certainty of where we are going, and therefore confidence to live for his glory now. Recognising this stability can only truly be found in Christ, many Christians within the Sydney Diocese and beyond are crying out for a better understanding of the Bible. People want to dig deeper into the message which gives them hope and truth and purpose in life. Despite the need for social distancing and the prevalence of online learning in the tertiary sector, recruitment numbers for Moore College have been better than the previous three years at this early stage. Up to the end of July 2020, applications for courses on campus —especially our central award, the Bachelor of Divinity—have been higher than in recent years. One of the factors that may have led to this rise in enrolments is a re-focusing on what is important in the big picture of life. When a pandemic like COVID-19 strips away the creature comforts we take for granted, and exposes us as feeble and utterly dependent physically, financially and communally, you might expect that this could rekindle our yearning to be close to our great God and Father. For in the arms of our Heavenly Father we are safe and take refuge. Safely cradled in the bosom of the Father, we can lift our eyes beyond the suffering, heartache, discomfort and finite
11 placed us? Why not take the opportunity—for one, three or four years—to drink deeply from the Scriptures, learning from the original languages, stretching ourselves as we grapple with how the Bible fits together, learning from the history of Christian thought, and prayerfully applying all that we gain from the Bible in our own lives and the lives of those we minister with and to? Why not make the investment in study that will be of benefit, far more than just vocationally, in helping us better appreciate the majesty and glory of the Triune God whom we serve and adore? For some, appropriately gifted by our Lord, it is good and right to take the step of considering full time vocational ministry. The theological depth and rigour of courses like the Bachelor of Divinity or Bachelor of Theology are most suitable for those who look to serve the Lord in an office with teaching responsibility. For others, no matter the season of life or the capacity, the on campus Advanced Diploma, the online Diploma (DBT) or even the flexible and foundational Preliminary Theological Certificate (PTC) may be better suited. No matter what that first step into theological education might be, it will surely be of benefit. For there is nothing more important to us than our relationship with Christ, and we are reminded of the certainty of that relationship as we hear him speak to us in the Scriptures. So, any investment in helping us to better understand God’s Word is beneficial, and worth serious consideration. So again, I ask the question, might this be your time to study theology more deeply? And if not, Why not?
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unabated tenacity, to serve the Lord Jesus in whatever capacity we are 2017 2018 2019 2020 Incoming able, until death 80 or the return of our Lord. And if this is the clarity 60 that presents itself in Holy Scripture, 40 then surely the question we should ask ourselves 20 when it comes to theological education is why 0 March April May June July not? And to be very clear, I do not mean that every single Christian nature of our lives, and understand, man or woman needs to be in full as the Apostle Paul does, that these time vocational Christian ministry. momentary afflictions pale in But I do mean that every Christian comparison with the glory that is should be zealous in pursuing coming. opportunities to grow in Jesus And so, despite the lack of and be his ambassador in a world security all around, as those who desperately in need of what he have certainty in Jesus, we are encouraged to press on in preaching offers. So, why not better equip the good news of Christ crucified ourselves to serve the Lord Jesus and to fellowship with our brothers with whatever capacity we have and sisters at every opportunity, and in whatever context he has helping each other to continue, with
Applications received (Campus FT) by Start Year
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The joys and challenges of community under lockdown Andrew Shead / Head of Old Testament and Hebrew, Lecturer in Old Testament Screens are mentally exhausting, work in isolation is demotivating, and uncertainty about the future creates anxiety. The College responded to this challenging situation in four ways.
Clear communication Uncertainty breeds anxiety, so clear communication became even more important. Mark Thompson gave regular COVID briefings; Paul Grimmond, our Dean of Students, delivered a weekly video message with advice for godly resilience; Chaplains chatted with each student individually. Good communication reassures everyone that we are all in this together, that nobody is forgotten.
Photo: shutterstock
Make the mechanics of online College as simple as possible
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s every Australian well remembers, lockdown dropped over us quickly. Over the course of ten days of rapidly evolving messages, we moved from comfortable normality to a fully online environment. Our IT team did six months’ work in one; the student deans listened ceaselessly to feedback as we experimented with new models; and the faculty bravely threw the academic programme up in the air to see how it could be made COVIDfriendly. Ironically, the first thing isolation did for us was bring us together—faculty, students, and staff—to work on the problem.
The challenge: to support our students to keep learning and growing spiritually while also managing the stresses of lockdown life and ministry. Most of our students have set aside years of their life to train for a life of ministry. They come to Moore to work hard, to get every scrap of value they can from these short, relatively undistracted years. But lockdown is the enemy of productivity, the friend of anxiety, and dangerous for the soul. When all interactions are on a screen, human efficiency can drop by up to 50%. So says recent research, and our experience bears this out.
This required the simplicity of ‘genius’—the genius in question being our IT team. They collected every activity of the college into one system: a virtual interface which integrated with our existing online learning system, internal communications, and calendar, and gave each student a single point of access to lectures, seminars, chapel, chaplaincy groups, informal meetings, the library, and more. The library staff team spent long hours identifying eBooks to purchase, so that students had access to the materials they needed for their research and writing. We soon had virtual classrooms, discussion groups, private meeting rooms, collaborative work spaces, shared resources, and more.
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Make learning as easy as possible
Keep the word of God at the centre of our lives
The faculty examined all the demands placed on students, asking which were non-essential, and which could be achieved more flexibly. We reduced the number of assessments, focused courses down to one or two core skills, and gave students as much freedom as possible to reach their goals. This is all good educational practice, of course, so many of these changes will outlast the pandemic. The ‘return to basics’ which COVID has necessitated holds out the promise of even more excellent courses in years to come. Expectations from classroom teaching also had to change, given the difficulty of remaining focused for long hours of screen time. Teaching a class you cannot properly see, and whose discussion is mostly in a chat sidebar, is a skill that takes some time to learn. Chris Thomson, our professional development expert, gave the rest of us a crash course in the technology that now exists for making online learning more effective. This included technology for visual communication, for collaboration, for feedback, for reinforcement of learning, for communication, and for reflection. Of course, at the end of the day we were still isolated from one another, and the great danger this can breed is isolation from God.
Early on, while cutting every non-essential activity, we resisted the temptation to cancel chapel. Instead we shortened it, eliminating most things we would normally say together. But we continued the systematic reading of Scripture (we are up to Chronicles in the Old Testament, and Acts in the New), listened to a short sermon, prayed, and sang a song. The resulting 40-minute service was then opened up to the entire community—staff and families as well as students and faculty. Our invisible congregation became much more diverse than it usually is! Chapel ran as a live event, so there were glitches from time to time, but it brought us two great blessings. First, it united us around the word of God, and powerfully reminded us that the proximity we share in the Spirit, though invisible, is more real and true than physical presence. And secondly, it brought us face to face in a mundane but powerful way. Each day four different students (or staff members) were invited to read the Bible or pray, and the rest of us got to see their faces. By mid-year we had seen and heard almost every first-year student. For a year-group which had barely begun to know each other before being locked down, this was especially helpful. On Thursdays,
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The- Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:17-18)
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Photo: Chris Montgomery | Unsplash
we met in chaplaincy groups, where individual needs could be shared and people supported in their various circumstances. We used many mechanisms for developing online relationships, such as the regular staff briefings and devotions, student prayer triplets, faculty prayer meetings and morning teas, and informal one-to-one video chats. Life online remains challenging however. Despite these mechanisms, and their blessings, lockdown has taught us more dramatically than anything just how precious face-toface learning in community is, for preparing the whole person for a life of ministry. Please pray for the handful of students who have not been able to return to us in person, that the Lord would sustain them. The other thing lockdown taught us is that our times are in God’s hands, whose plan is perfect. It is the hard times, not the easy days, that teach us what it means to call God faithful and good. In God’s amazing grace, the way the whole College has come together to bear one another’s burdens and encourage one another in Christ has been nothing short of remarkable.
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Our lives are in God’s hands – Please Pray Trevor Cairney / Head of Foundation
T
he theme of this edition of Moore Matters is ‘Building for the future’ and it was chosen almost as a defiant and confident response to the challenge that Covid-19 has posed for the world, including the College! While our personal plans and those of many institutions and governments have been disrupted, we know that ultimately God is in control and so we can have confidence. Our lives are still in God’s hands, and we can gain assurance and confidence in these challenging times from his word. As I wrote this piece, I was reminded of the promises of God in Isaiah 41:10. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. We have a God who tells us not to fear or be anxious for he is always with us. What’s more, Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that God will strengthen, help and uphold us with his right hand! The work of Moore College will continue, so we won’t allow our future simply to be defined by the challenging events of the last six or so months. The faculty, students and staff of the College continue to pray and seek guidance from God’s word and have found much comfort and assurance during this time. As I write this final piece for the magazine, it’s mid-August and the pandemic is still in the world and continues to pose a serious threat. When we first planned this Spring edition back in June, we were in the first wave of Covid-19 and the College had been
largely moved off-site, with staff working from home and lectures conducted online. Thankfully, we are now returning to a new form of ‘normal’ for an unknown period of time. While our students will have all returned by the end of August (except some from overseas), there are still significant restrictions on community life as we conform to health guidelines. There are also varied financial pressures on the College, even with the generous help of our loyal donors and various federal and State government programs. We will continue on in spite of the challenges, just as we have for the last 164 years. Please pray for our nation and its political leaders that they might continue to lead wisely! Of course, the College is not new to global threats. We have continued operating through a number of wars, conflicts and challenges. These have included two world wars, the Great Depression, global pandemics like the Spanish Flu in 1918-1919 and now Covid-19. While such major worldwide events inevitably have an impact, they have never stopped the Gospel of Christ being proclaimed! Nor, have they stopped the training and equipping of men and women committed to a lifetime of ministry. We have been disrupted and to some extent challenged, but our ministry has not been thwarted. I hope that the other articles you have read in this edition attest to the fact that the work of teaching, supporting, mentoring and ministering to our students has not ceased. Please pray for our faculty, staff and students. We need also to acknowledge that many of our partner organisations have been challenged by the pandemic in Australia and overseas. Many of our students have left behind the families and churches where they first heard about Jesus and came to faith. It has been particularly difficult for our overseas students both to get here, and also to be separated from their support networks in their home countries. The work of discipling, equipping and training our current students began with other organisations. Anglican churches and a number of other denominational churches first taught them. As well, varied Christian organisations have been involved in equipping, maturing, training, teaching
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Photo: Adam Niescioruk | Unsplash
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and sending men and women to us. These include Anglican Youthworks, the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, Bush Church Aid, the Ministry Training Strategy and student ministries like the Australian and International Fellowship of Evangelical Students on campuses around the world. Please pray for the churches and partner organisations that equip and send men and women to us, so that they can know God more and be prepared for varied Christian ministries. A pandemic will not stop the work of many in teaching, preparing and sending men and women to Moore. Please pray for our many partners. I’m also thrilled to say that the financial generosity of our supporters and friends has not waned. In fact, we have seen a 15% increase in donations in the first half of 2020. Praise God for this generosity! Please pray for our many donors and supporters and some of our students who have been affected financially by the events of this year. Please also continue to pray that our students will receive the funding support they need to continue their studies. Finally, as we continue to plan for the ongoing renewal of our campus and buildings, please pray that necessary financial support will be made available. While Covid-19 has not disappeared and won’t leave us as a threat for some time, we believe that we should continue the renewal of our campus infrastructure. Please pray for our Governing Board and senior staff as they plan for ongoing campus renewal. Our plans to re-build John Chapman House will cost in the order of $37 million. Work has already begun on planning
A pandemic will not stop the work of many in teaching, preparing and sending men and women to Moore. for a major Capital Campaign. In 2021 we hope to formally launch a public campaign to raise up to 50% of the cost of the new building that is so badly needed. Would you commit to pray for the campus development team, and for the College leadership to make wise decisions? As Head of the Moore College Foundation I’ve been so grateful for the many people prepared to support the ministry of the College, and for our many prayers and donors. I count it a great privilege to oversee the work of the Foundation. Please continue to pray that God will bless and enable the work we do together to support the ministry of the College. Might we have confidence as we commit this next challenge to the Lord and pray that he will indeed “establish our plans” (Proverbs 16:3b).
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Moore Matters is the newsletter publication of Moore Theological College Principal of Moore College » Rev Dr Mark Thompson Editor » Trevor Cairney Assistant Editor » Michael Sadler Photography » Jinming Pap Art and Design » Lankshear Design Moore Matters Copyright © Moore Theological College 2020 1 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042 AUSTRALIA moore.edu.au » info@moore.edu.au » +61 2 9577 9999 CRICOS #00682B » ABN 47 46 452183 About Moore College Moore College exists to train men and women to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. Since 1856, more than 5,000 students have graduated from the College and have been sent out by God. Moore College has equipped men and women to serve in over 50 countries across the World. Today over 3,500 students are enrolled in our courses globally.
moore matters Spring 2020 moore.edu.au
Building for the Future
After the deluge pages 2-3
Why not theological education? pages 10-11
The joys and challenges of community under lockdown pages 12-13
FACING INFERTILITY AS A CHURCH FAMILY
MEN PRAYING FOR MOORE
19 SEPTEMBER 2020, 8-9.30AM
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JONATHAN MORRIS
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Moore College equips men and women to present a sure and certain hope to a world in need Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20
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